The DELIGHT in the DECEPTION
by etakkate
Summary: Bones develops her sense of humour.  My last Bones fan fic!  Send me off with a bang!  COMPLETE


**Well, here it is folks, my last Bones fanfic. It's a bit stoooopid and perhaps a little OOC but I had fun writing it.**

**I am gonna watch Castle's earlier seasons and maybe have a shot at Caskett fanfiction writing. We shall see. As for now, _adieu, farewell, it was fun!_**

**This is set after the Blizzard episode (I haven't been able to see any episodes after this one)**

**I don't own Bones!**

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><p>Brennan peeked at her partner out of the corner of her eye and hesitated slightly before speaking, "So, Hannah called me this morning."<p>

Booth flicked his glance sideways at her momentarily before reaching to grab her empty beer bottle off of his coffee table, "Want another one?"

Not waiting for an answer, Booth took their empties to the kitchen. After an extended moment or two, he returned and wordlessly gave her a beer, exhaling loudly as he slumped down beside her.

"She asked how you were... if I was looking after you."

"Hmm." Booth figured that if he just nodded, avoided eye contact and said nothing that she would give up the topic of his ex.

Brennan continued to discreetly monitor his reactions, "I said that you are a grown man and you do not require babysitting."

He huffed a chuckle into the neck of his beer and took a swig. _Typical_.

"She asked if you were still angry."

Clearly Brennan wasn't about to drop the topic and he was more than a little interested now. Booth took another pull of his beer and placed it on the coffee table. Leaning his head back onto the back of the couch – he rolled his head lazily to the side to watch her – his head buzzing nicely from the alcohol. "And?"

"And I said I didn't know..." Brennan met his eyes and Booth thought he saw a hint of sadness, "...that I _don't_ know. I told her that she would be best asking you that question." She skulled the rest of her beer and leaned back into the couch – seemingly relived that it was off her chest.

"Bones!" Booth whined, "So she's gonna call me now? Why did you tell her that?"

"Wha! Because I _don't_ know... _obviously_. You know that I do not condone speculation – if she wants the truth then she will have to ask you."

Silence reigned, littered with frustrated eye rolls and another return trip to the fridge for refills.

She accepted her drink with a nod of thanks while he flopped back down with a huff.

In an uncharacteristically small voice Brennan murmured, "Are you? ...angry still?"

There was a pause.

"No."

And turning to face her, "No, I'm not."

In complete difference to her confident self, Brennan nodded with a blush and looked down, effectively hiding her excitement and growing smile, "That's... good."

After not getting the open, _non-impervious_ reaction he was hoping for, Booth lolled his head back and looked up to the ceiling, "Yeah, I guess."

"I..." she hesitated_. _

"You what Bones?" There was impatience in his voice and it shot right to her lungs; constricting her breath – rendering her confession of love mute. Tears prickled unwelcome at her eyes.

"I... I disagree."

Booth faced her – contempt sullying his perfect symmetry, "You disagree." He growled with tired defeat.

She straightened up – putting some space between them. "Whilst I cannot speak for your feelings about Hannah – it is clear that you are still irritated with me. I am willing to wait, Booth but I don't want to be deluding myself."

His frown deepened in confusion – adding to her deep seated fear that, despite their candle burnt commitments, perhaps they had missed their chance after all.

She continued in spite of the painful lump in her throat. "Am I deluding myself, Booth? Will you ever get past what I have done to you and just accept that I love you and that I am sorry? Because, I am really tired, Booth, really I am. I feel like I am in figurative limbo and I just want the truth from you."

Brennan braved eye contact. His vacant stare made her nervous.

"You love me?"

She nodded, watching herself peel the label from her beer, "Yes. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I can't tell you how hard it has been for me Booth watching you with Hannah... _proposing_ to Hannah even despite the knowledge of my feelings..." her voice wavered, "I would most definitely not be here if I did not love you."

His whole countenance had morphed from anger to shame, disbelief and then finally – cautious excitement, "Really?"

She heard the smile in his voice and relaxed a bit, "Yeah, Booth, I do. Would you like me to write it down for you?"

"Oh, Bones." He chuckled lightly and then grew serious; "I have been waiting to hear those words from you for at least the last five years!" he took the bottle from her hands and placed it onto the table.

Taking her hands in one of his, Booth's other hand lifted her face so that she could see the sincerity in his eyes, "I am so sorry for taking it out on you. Honestly... I was just angry at myself for screwing this whole thing up. Yes, I was angry at you in the beginning because, God Bones! What we could have together...!" he squeezed her hand and shook his head in amazement – lost for words.

"So, you feel the same?" the uncertainty in her voice was obvious.

"Yes, Temperance, I love you... very much" he smiled and gently ran a finger over her cheek.

Brenan took a deep breath, nodded then laughed lightly, "Then marry me."

Booth's eyes all but fell out of his face in panic, "What!"

"Marry me Booth."

He smiled disbelievingly, "Bones, c'mon, you're playin with me... right?"

"I am not playing with you."

"Why, Bones? You don't believe in marriage!"

"Beliefs change Booth. In the interests of time, I am setting the conditions of a relationship with me as all or nothing, take it or leave it. You can either remain strictly as my professional partner or you can agree to 'till death do us part'. If you answer in the affirmative, I would also like to begin efforts to procreate... immediately.

Stunned silence ensued.

"That's my offer Booth." She looked at her watch, "I will give you fifteen seconds to deliberate as I need to know whether I will have to move on or not."

He chuckled uneasily and pulled on his collar. The ticking of her clock matched the nervous tic above his lip.

"Um... Bones, I..."

Her impish smile gave her charade away and he let out the breath that he had been holding for the last quarter minute in one tight lipped blow. A deep red blush grew from his neck over his face, "Yeah, Bones, real funny, point made!" He mumbled under his breath, "way to kill a mood."

She laughed wholeheartedly pleased with her deception and pointed at him mockingly. "You should have seen your face, Booth! You are exceptionally cute when you're under pressure!"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, baby laugh it up! No more beer for you woman! I'll have you begging to marry me before you know it! Just wait until I give you some of that good ol' Seeley Booth Special. You'll be quivering in your boots!"

She giggled, wiping the tears of joy from her eyes and leaned into him with a sexy glint to her eye, "I don't normally wear footwear during intercourse but I can make an exception for you."

He growled eagerly and pulled her to straddle his lap, "We could shake the dust off that old wonder woman costume, what do ya say, huh, Bones?" He suggested with a sexy waggle of eyebrows.

Brennan gave him a throaty chuckle and nipped at his neck teasingly, "It's in storage. Can you make do with my birthday costume?"

"Ah hum... just try to stop me!"

With a surprised squeal – she was hoisted over his shoulder and carried briskly to his man cave.

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><p><strong>The end<strong>

**What did you think? Too stoooopid? Drop me a line n let me know.**

**Take care!**


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